Incompatible Interspecies Wives chapter 215

215 – Berg (2)

The news came flying through the messenger.

Gendry entered the council chamber and shouted, “Berg Ryker’s army has defeated the Devil’s right-hand man! The war is over!”

There was a cheer in the council.

A flood of news had erupted among the nobles, heads of families, and their assembled members.

King Rex Drago clenched his fist secretly.

The biggest problem had been solved.

It was all thanks to Berg Ryker’s choice.

He had fought the Devil’s right-hand man without being ordered or asked to do so, which was a great favor to the king.

To this day, the king did not know exactly why Berg had done this.

However, by combining various news, it was speculated that Berg had done this for the lordship and the people living there.

From the start, his wife Cien Ryker had been immobilized by the plague.

Ner Blackwood, who had gone to help him, was also said to be bedridden with a significantly weakened body due to some unknown reason.

There were many crops planted in the ground… Perhaps that wasn’t the reason.

But knowing the reason and making that choice have a significant difference.

Not everyone can choose to challenge a fight that seems to have no chance of winning.

In the end, Berg Riker wasn’t extraordinary either.

The many tribes who supported his choice were also remarkable.

They had to recall that they were not an army.

The Riker clan, still a newborn family, did not have an army.

The only ones who could wield a sword by his side were his former comrades, mercenaries.

These mercenaries, who could always leave if not paid, had risked their lives with Berg.

The king wasn’t the only one who understood that fact

After a round of cheers, evaluations were given to Berg and his tribe members.

With a sigh, a few clan leaders shrugged their shoulders.

“…I didn’t expect the tribe to make that choice.”

“We have to admit it…”

“They are brave.”

Rex Draygo also nodded quietly to those stories.

He certainly felt that Berg was special, but he never imagined it would be to this extent.

Only good evaluations were given to him.

There was no downside to having such a tribal hero as an adversary.

If possible, it would have been great to form a strong alliance.

The king spoke to Gendry.

“Gendry, order Berg Riker to come straight to the capital. I will grant him a reward.”

“…”

Gendry hesitated for a moment at the king’s words.

It seemed like he was waiting for the council to quiet down.

As if there was still another message to be delivered.

At Gendry’s silence, the king showed his confusion.

The other clan leaders also closed their mouths in response to the king’s actions.

In that silence, Gendry spoke.

“…Duke Riker is …”

The king furrowed his brow.

“…No way.”

“…They say he died in battle during the war.”

****

Sien had come out to the village to welcome Berg.

The plague had finally been shaken off. The long battle with the illness had come to an end.

Everything seemed to have been resolved.

It wasn’t entirely accurate, but…there was a rumor that Berg had defeated Krund, according to the news transmitted.

It was a fact that Silfrien had relayed directly.

Oddly enough, there was a hint of sadness on her face as she told the story.

…Sien pretended not to notice her expression.

He was just focusing on the remarkable significance of the news.

Sien knew all too well how formidable Krund had been.

He was the strongest of the intelligent demons, with just his power alone.

Even the hero Felix had once faced Krund and was unable to settle the dispute.

And Berg had killed such a Krund.

Berg, who had been with Sien since he was ten years old, had achieved this feat.

Sien felt the cool breeze blowing as he gazed at the distant horizon.

He could see members of the Red Flame Corps approaching.

The villagers were already cheering for their returning heroes.

“…”

Unable to contain his impatience, Sien started to run outside.

He carefully approached Berg, mindful of the child on his back.

He sprinted across the vast meadow.

Every available space was filled with memories he had with Berg.

The places where they sat and enjoyed strolls together. Where they laughed together. Where they shared kisses.

As Sien continued to run, he savored those memories.

“… Lady Sien.”

Soon enough, she saw Baran at the forefront of the approaching group.

Sien didn’t understand why Berg was not leading the way.

Even the injured Gael was right behind Baran… Why wasn’t Berg there?

It was a sight she had never seen before.

Berg had always been at the front whenever he led his companions.

“…Where’s Berg?”

“…”

“Baran, my husband…?”

Baran bit his lip tightly and looked back.

And then he slowly nodded his head.

“…………”

Cien saw Berg being carried on a stretcher made of two long wooden poles and cloth.

His eyes were closed peacefully, not making a single movement.

– Thud.

Cien’s legs gave out, and she collapsed to her knees.

“No…no…”

Baran shed tears as he apologized.

“…I’m sorry.”

Berg was soon laid in front of her.

He simply looked as if he was asleep.

It seemed like he could open his eyes and smile at her at any moment.

“No…sob…No!!!!”

Cien screamed and clung to Berg.

She shook him with all her might, trying to wake him up.

“Get up, Berg…! Get up!!”

One by one, the surrounding members looked away.

As if they couldn’t bear to watch this heartbreaking process.

“aaah!!! Berg!!!”

But even with her endless pleas, Berg did not open his eyes.

She could feel that the life within him had slipped away.

Cien clutched her chest from the unfamiliar pain.

It felt as if her heart was being burnt alive.

From the first miraculous encounter to the current situation.

It seemed as if all the memories they had together were only there for the pain that would happen now.

Baran descended from the horse and sat beside Sien.

“Sien-nim…”

He said, tears streaming down his face.

“Leader Berg was worried about his family until the end. It’s sad, but…for the sake of the child on the ship, you must stay strong…”

But nothing reached Sien.

“No!!! Berg!! Ahhhhh!!!”

She screamed, grabbing onto her hair.

“Please wake up…sob!! Please…ahhh…!!”

Two members supported her, as if she was about to faint.

Baran wiped away his tears and spoke.

“For now, let’s go into the village…go in…go in…”

Baran couldn’t finish his sentence either.

But he finally nodded his head as he looked at the colleagues supporting Sien.

Berg’s belongings were lifted once again.

Sien struggled to stand up from her seat, following Berg towards the village.

Her legs felt weak, as if she would collapse, but she had to follow Berg.

“Ahhh….! Sniff!! Sob!!”

Berg, who was always strong, couldn’t even move now without any help.

Sien couldn’t believe the truth.

Such unbearable pain had never existed before.

Her consciousness flickered, and her head throbbed endlessly.

-Thunk.

“Sien-nim!”

In the end, she lost her strength and sat back down.

She blamed Berg, almost resentfully.

“Bel…what about our child…?”

****

Ner stood up with great effort upon hearing the news of Berg’s return.

Now she could muster the strength to walk again.

She had regained much energy while Berg was away.

She limped towards him to greet Berg.

Raan, who had been by her side, supported her.

“…Walk slowly.”

Raan said coldly.

But Ner could not do that.

She was desperate to see Berg, who had returned.

Even though her body had weakened, her feelings for Berg had not wavered.

Her one and only ally.

It was because of Berg that Ner could still live.

For him, she would even give her life.

Already, she had risked her life for his happiness.

‘Ah!’

But the moment she left the house, she realized a deep cry was resounding in Stockfinn.

As they had gone to war, she knew that there would inevitably be casualties, and that was why there were such cries.

However, for some reason, this sound invoked an even greater unease in Ner’s heart.

“Haah…haah…”

Ner became short of breath, just by walking a bit faster.

Raan became worried about Ner, seeing her like this.

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“Ner…! I told you to walk slowly…!”

But Ner did not listen.

Her body did not listen.

It seemed ner could only calm her heart by seeing Berg quickly.

Finally, they arrived at the center of the village.

Ner saw the townspeople, who would not even make way for her arrival.

Seeing something, they all seemed frozen in shock, unable to move.

Ner struggled to make her way through them and pressed forward.

“…Berg…Berg…”

And then she moved forward, calling out Berg’s name.

Berg had returned and even jokingly suggested they become intimate again.

Now, all that was left was for them to live happily together.

Ner’s heart raced wildly at the thought of that dream.

The fact that she could be loved by Berg once again made her happy.

“………………………………..”

“aaaH!!!”

However, soon Ner’s body froze at the harsh reality she witnessed.

Berg was there in the center of the space, among the people they had pushed through.

He was lying down, his eyes closed.

He didn’t call her name or give his usual smile.

“Be…rg…?”

The sharp pain in her heart was so intense that it made it difficult for her to breathe.

Even Ran was startled and gasped for breath beside her.

“…”

Ner took one step at a time towards Berg.

Nothing else in the world seemed visible.

She had the illusion that only the two of them were left.

Ner looked down at her fallen hero.

Her race was one of those who gave their whole heart to a single person… but that person was lying there, motionless.

-Thud.

Ner knelt beside Berg.

-Splash…

Tears welled up and fell onto Berg’s face.

“…Be…rg…?”

She called the name of her beloved one more time.

Their first encounter flashed like a carousel in her mind.

All the memories they shared together resurface.

Berg, who rubbed his nose instead of a kiss at their wedding.

Berg, who secretly came to visit her during her night walk.

Berg, who gave her confidence in her tail and told her it was beautiful.

The embraces, conversations, and emotions we shared.

The rebuilt trust relationship, and even the feeling of love that came from within.

He, who had given me all the happiness I had never experienced before, had closed his eyes like this.

“…Stop joking around, Berg…”

Tears continued to flow, falling on Berg’s face.

“It’s not funny…”

Ner tried to smile as she spoke to him.

As if saying this affectionately to him would make him open his eyes.

“We… should go for night walks like we used to. Like we used to… go see beautiful places again.”

But as there was no response from him, the suppressed anguish in her heart began to surge violently.

“We promised to be together… We promised, Berg…”

She tightly gripped the hem of Berg’s clothes as she spoke.

“So open your eyes, Berg. Without you… hic… Without you, I…!”

And so, Ner belatedly realized the truth as she looked at Berg, who did not respond again.

That Berg had died.

That Berg was no longer a person of this world.

She would never see his smile again.

She would never be able to call his name again.

It was impossible to have a conversation with him or share emotions.

All of that happiness had already become part of the past.

“You promised to come back!!”

Ner yelled at him, as if blaming him.

Could there ever be a feeling of being left so alone in the world?

In an instant, Ner felt an enormous sense of emptiness, as if her heart had been hollowed out.

She let out a cry, unable to hold back her tears.

This could not be real.

Without Berg, she felt as if she was falling apart.

“Please stop…! Please, I’m begging you to wake up!!”

Ner lay on top of Berg’s body, shedding tears.

She had never cried so intensely before in her life.

I had thought that the divorce was the worst, but there was a greater tragedy in the world.

“You promised to come back!!!”

She blamed him, repeating the same words like a parrot.

She buried her face in the body of the man she loved.

With her face buried in his neck, she clung to him.

Berg’s body was unbelievably cold.

Unbelievably, he didn’t respond to her movements.

It was the first time she had seen Berg so motionless.

That fact made her extremely afraid.

Ner wept, and, wanting to share warmth, she hugged him.

It had been a long time since she had forgotten the fact that he had just gotten up from the hospital bed.

“Why are you so cold, Berg?”

-Drip, drip, drip…

She continued to wet him with tears as she spoke.

“Are you not cold? Sob… Like how you used to… Hiccup..! I’ll… I’ll warm you up… so can you move just a little…?”

But, of course, Berg couldn’t give back any answers.

“…Berg. Did you really…leave me…?”

It was the same for any of her pleas.

“…”

For a moment, tinnitus rang in her ears, and Ner moved away from Berg.

The huge shock momentarily stopped her tears.

Ner looked over Berg’s entire body.

There was a giant, newly stitched scar on his stomach.

It appeared that the other members had sewn closed his wounds.

With that wound, it seemed as if Berg had met his death.

…Ner realized that.

Now, the Berg lying asleep in front of her had a different meaning than ever before after he had left.

Berg had been her heart.

There was nothing in the world that she could love more, and there could never be.

And now that heart had stopped like this.

Ner could belatedly feel that she had died along with Berg.

“…ugh… uh…”

Upon realizing that fact, everything became clear.

She no longer felt sorrow deeply.

Once her final decision was made, everything eased.

– Swoosh.

Ner lifted Berg’s lifeless, stiff hand and placed it on her cheek.

“I… told you, didn’t I?”

She put on a faint smile.

Tears kept falling, wetting Berg’s hand.

“When you die… I said I’d follow you.”

She made the promise once more to the departed Berg.

“…I’ll follow you soon, Berg.”

The thought of being with him in death even brought happiness.

“Let’s meet again soon.”

And so, she whispered to Berg… and kissed his lips.